Melissa Matarazzo from Studer Education, the consulting group guiding the Schenectady City School District through the development and implementation of a five-year Strategic Plan, provided an update to the board of education on May 8, 2019. 

   +  Draft Strategic Plan        + Strategic Planning Presentation (May 08 2019)

The purpose of the presentation was to explain what has taken place thus far and to share a draft plan, developed from stakeholder feedback and one that is supportive of the district vision.  

Process highlights include:

• Twenty-three focus groups were held (including nearly 200 participants)
  
  

• There was active engagement around "high-performing organization."
  
  

• The Guiding Coalition worked to develop potential goals, measures and values.
  
  

• A ThoughtExchange was held (321 participants).
  
  

• A check-in to solicit additional input from parents was completed through district engagement specialists.
  
  

• The Strategic Planning Guiding Coalition met five times.

Input collected through focus groups and the ThoughtExchange is posted from a link below.

The guiding coalition collaborated and reviewed the input and analysis which led to the development of drafted core values and four pillars of excellence.  

Organizational Values:
Equity
Collaboration
Learning

The drafted Pillars of Excellence:
Student and Graduate Success
Passionate People
Partnerships with Families and Commuity
Efficient Systems and Equitable Resources

Matarazzo noted that the Strategic Plan is designed to be high level system goals and should be around over-arching things.  She reiterated that the board of education has set a vision that guides the plan.  The plan is about execution.

The plan should not about everything that the district does or about one idea.  It's not a detailed plan for executing strategies.  And, it can't be rigid.  It must be ready to change.

A draft was provided to the board of education for review and so that members could provide feedback.

The Strategic Planning process was launched in September 2018.  Details, documents and steps are chronicled below.

Twenty-three focus groups, including approximately 200 participants were held between September 18 and September 20.  We also collected feedback through Let's Talk.

Focus group participants were asked to share hopes and dreams for students, greatest strengths of the district and areas of opportunity.  

Attached, for each group, is a summary of themes as well as comments in response to focus group questions. 

• Community Focus Group Feedback

• Parent Focus Group Feedback

• Employee Focus Group Feedback

• Student Focus Group Feedback

• SCSD Administrator Focus Group Feedback

A thought exchange was open for three weeks in November.  323 participants shared 336 thoughts.  8,681 stars were assigned.  You can review the top thoughts here.